For the TIME 100 Gala held in her beloved New York City, where the iconic magazine of Americana celebrated its collection of the most influential people, Taylor Swift took the stage. The highlight of every Swiftie’s evening came when she graced our ears with an entire half hour of different songs throughout the eras, accompanied by a sprinkle of heartfelt monologues that felt more like an intimate conversation with her eyes only on you. Her pastel diaphanous gown was straight from Fearless, and as she sang Love Story, her iconic rendition of Shakespeare’s tragic Romeo and Juliet, I felt like I was a little wide eyed freckled girl in my room all over again. She began with an acoustic Style, and joked that her “it’s nice to see you all is the understatement of the century” (I mean, if I was in that audience it sure as heck would be for me), followed by Delicate, my favorite Love Story, the melodic New Year’s Day, and closed off with a 1989 bop, reminding us all the importance of indominance and the beauty of being able to just Shake It Off.
And then, on April 26, the TS7 era officially began.
And yes, I did indeed set a timer on my phone to 11pm Chicago time/ midnight New York City time.
All of this magic was completely strategic, of course. Nothing that Taylor Swift ever does isn’t a meticulously calculated clue to a new project, photoshoot, interview… the woman has a dream team marketing squad fanning the most fabulous eccentricism I have ever seen.
Starting the night of February 10, Tay Tay’s instagram began a pastel ploy. At first glance, a fledgling Swiftie may not see anything too complex – it’s just her in a powder blue gown. She was at an awards show. Cute!
WRONG.
Blue is very important to this woman. A girl in a dress is featured within the lyrics of at least one song in every single album the woman has ever produced. Blue dresses appear periodically in music videos.
The music video for Our Song
Out of The Woods
Zombie Reputation Taylor VS 1989 Tay
The Delicate dress
The very first dress (of any color) was in Tim McGraw, “When you think happiness, I hope you think “that little black dress”.
She sang “And I don’t know why but with you I’d dance / In a storm in my best dress” and “I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress” within the Fearless Era.
“The girl in the dress cried the whole way home” in Speak Now’s Dear John.
Red, which totally should have won that Grammy, had “And it was like slow motion, Standing there in my party dress, In red lipstick, with no one to impress” in the heartbreak of The Moment I Knew.
In 1989’s Clean, she sang, “you’re still all over me, like a wine-stained dress I can’t wear anymore.”
And “I only bought this dress so you could take it off” within the sultry Reputation ballad, Dress.
After Taylor posted her BAFTA Awards pastel blue ball gown, her instagram became more and more… different…her page turned into a vivacious daydream.
It was at the end of her reputation that she felt truly alive. TS7 is here, it’s alive, and I cannot wait.